north county guy | Horse Racing Free Tips

Longshot Indian Peak settled nicely off the early pace and mounted a furious stretch rally under Juan Hernandez to outrun favored North County Guy by a head in Sunday's $100,000 California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. In his third start for Peter Miller and his first try down the hillside turf course, Indian Peak got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:12.52.

The California Flag Handicap, named for the High Card Ranch's homebred millionaire who won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, is part of the lucrative CTBA sponsored Golden State Series for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine, Indian Peak was sixth, about five lengths off the lead at the half-mile mark while well within himself. Six-wide and on the move at the dirt crossing, Indian Peak pinned his ears and outran North County Guy late in a thriller.

“He felt really comfortable, he's a nice horse,” said Hernandez, who won yesterday's California Distaff Handicap run down the hill with Warren's Showtime. “He tries all the time. I rode him before, maybe three or four times (when based at Golden Gate Fields, dating back to December of 2019) and he's the kind of horse that always comes with a run at the end.

“Peter Miller told me to just sit there and make one run and then before the quarter pole, before we crossed the dirt, he started running, so I just let him run. He picked the lead right after we crossed the dirt and we were fighting the inside and outside (horses), but we made it…”

Most recently a well-beaten fifth by North County Guy in 1 1/16-mile turf allowance as the 7-5 favorite on Aug. 20 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Indian Peak was off at 16-1 and paid $35.80, $11.20, and $5.40.

A 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Comic Strip out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, Indian Peak, who was originally conditioned by Golden Gate Fields-based Quinn Howey, is currently owned by Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable.

A winner of Santa Anita's Snow Chief Stakes in only his third start at age three on June 20, 2020, Indian Peak registered his second stakes win today and improved his overall race record to 20-6-3-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $333,532.

The 7-5 favorite, North County Guy ran too good to lose, finishing a head in front of Unbridled Ethos. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, North County Guy paid $3.40 and $2.60.

With Ricky Gonzalez up, Unbridled Ethos was off at 9-1 and paid $5.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Whooping Jay, who lacked racing room turning for home.

Fractions on the race were :22.00, :44.06, and 1:06.65.

Live racing resumes with first post time for an eight-race card on Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific.

The post Longshot Indian Peak Victorious In California Flag At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Content to sit well off the early pace, North County Guy wheeled four-wide at the top of the stretch en route to a hard-earned neck victory in Saturday's $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, North County Guy, a 6-year-old gelding by The Pamplemousse, got a mile and one eighth in 1:46.34 on firm turf.

Presented by City National Bank, the Unusual Heat Turf Classic is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

With 70-1 longshot Cono winging on an uncontested early lead, North County Guy was a distant fifth, about 20 lengths off the lead with a half mile to run. As Cono stopped mid-way around the far turn, the entire field moved into contention, with North County Guy about three lengths off the lead at the top of the lane.

Favored Acclimate and Tyler Baze hit the front at the quarter pole, while North County Guy had about two lengths to make up with a furlong to run and he was equal to the challeng. After striking the front he held off the late charge of longshot Heck Yeah.

A second condition allowance winner at today's distance two starts back on Oct. 9, North County Guy was well beaten in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and one half Nov. 27. Off at 4-1 in a field of 11, North County Guy paid $10.40, $6.40 and $4.00.

Owned by Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands, North County Guy, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Warmth, notched his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 28-6-7-5. With the winner's share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $366,647. He was bred in California by Edward C. Allred.

“He was training really good and obviously we had to put the money up to make him eligible,” said Baltas. “He's been running against open but we saw the $200,000 mile and an eighth which is his distance, so we did it.

“He's at San Luis Rey, he has the outside den and has a goat,” Baltas added. “If he doesn't have the goat and he's not outside he runs the stall so it's kind of funny, he comes up here in the van with the goat. We just try to keep him happy.”

Heck Yeah, a three-time stakes winner at age three who seemed to have found new life on synthetic Tapeta with Golden Gate Fields-based trainer Steve Sherman, rallied to boldly to miss by a diminishing neck under Drayden Van Dyke. Off at 21-1, he paid $17.40 and $8.40.

Acclimate, the 9-5 favorite, paid $3.20 to show while finishing a half length in front of Ward 'n Jerry.

Fractions on the race were 22.31, 44.76, 1:09.18 and 1:34.36.

The post With Goat In Tow, North County Guy Ships To Santa Anita, Captures Unusual Heat Turf Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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